Powers/Abilities: Lightning Rod was a mutant who
could generate electrical current, releasing it as blasts from his
hands. He was apparently immune to his own electricity, though he did
wear an insulated costume.

(Excalibur III#1 (fb) - BTS) - Through unrevealed ways, the mutant known
only as Lightning Rod came to live on Genosha, possibly some time after
Cassandra Nova's Sentinels devastated the island. He joined up with Unus
the Untouchable who felt he was the uncrowned ruler of the decimated
mutant population (see comments).

(Excalibur III#1) - From his headquarters inside the head of the
abandoned giant Sentinels left on Genosha, Unus spotted Charles Xavier's
arrival on the island. Acting on rumors the coffin he had brought
contained the body of Magneto, Unus rallied Lightning Rod and the others to go teach "baldy" who
really owns the island. Unus led Lightning
Rod and the gang against Xavier and his new allies Freakshow
and Wicked. However, Xavier had telepathically taken control of him and his fellow teammates,
leaving them paralyzed while Freakshow turned into a giant monster and
swallowed Unus. Xavier and his companions continued on their way.
(Excalibur III#2) - With Unus still missing, Lightning Rod and the others returned to their
headquarters. They were joined by fellow members Toad, Hub and
Toad-In-Waiting who were convinced Unus would survive this ordeal though
Hub wondered if they should take him back as their leader. Some time
later, after Unus proved indigestible and was vomited out by Freakshow,
Lightning Rod and the others
attacked their leader whose forcefield withstood all their blows,
proving he still had what it takes to lead them. Unus swore vengeance on
Xavier and his allies.

(Excalibur
III#3 - BTS) – One of Lightning Rod's
fellow gang members, Hack, left with the teleporting mutant Hub to
free two superhumans (Shola
Inkosi and Karima Shapandar) kept in stasis by the
Genoshan Magistrates. When the island’s former peace-keeping force
realized what they'd done, they mounted a full scale attack to get
their property back.

(Excalibur III#4) - Believing
the battalion of Magistrates attacking Genosha were trying to regain
control of the island, Unus led Lightning Rod
and the others against them. Lightning Rod used his
electrical powers to shortcircuit a number of Magistrate armors,
though in the end the paramilitary force inevitably gained the
upperhand. The day was saved by the arrival of Shola Inkosi and
the Prime Sentinel Karima Shapandar who took out all the Magistrates.
Xavier took the soldiers prisoner, which didn't sit well with Unus who
took Lightning Rod and his
other troops to confront Charles in his beachside headquarters. Unus
demanded that the professor handed his prisoners to him, claiming there
was no law on the island. Xavier, flanked by Magneto, Callisto, Karima
and his young allies, told off Unus and made him turn away.

(Excalibur III#5) - Plagued by nightmares of the Sentinels' carnage on
Genosha, the mildly telepathic combat telekinetic Shola Inkosi went on a
midnight run. In the end, he was so overwhelmed by the images of death
and destruction he involuntarily picked up that he released a massive
telekinetic blast at the giant Sentinels that still stood like
skyscrapers on the island. The blast rocked the construction, waking Lightning Rod and the others who briefly
believed they were under attack.

(Excalibur III#8) - Eager to start rebuilding Genosha, Xavier realized
he needed the help of Unus and his gang. Early one morning, he had Shola
fly up to their Sentinel statue headquarters to rouse Unus, Lightning Rod and the others. They
watched as Xavier's forces started to clear out the ruined buildings to
make room for new houses and farmland. Xavier officially asked Unus and
his followers to join them, but they laughed in his face. When Xavier
left, they agreed to wait around for Charles to do all the work before
they took it all away from him.

(House of M#8 - BTS) - Lightning
Rod was one of the victims of the Scarlet Witch's reality
altering spell that reduced the millions of gene active mutants to less
than 200 worldwide.